Separable fastener for garters.



massa e. PATENTEDOOT. 15, 1907. J. M. SINER. SEPARABLE PASTENER FORGARTERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT o EIoE.

JOHN M. SINER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO VENUS MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SEPARABLE FASTENER FOR G'rAR'lERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1907.

Application filed March 2,1907. Serial No. 360,126.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. SINER, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of New York, in the county of New York and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in aSeparable Fastener for a Garter, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to garters, particularly those which are worn bymen around the calf of the leg for supporting the socks, although it isevident that the garter is not limited in this respect, and the featuresthereof are applicable to other uses such as belts, straps, suspenders,and the like.

In my prior application, Serial No. 347,327, I have shown a constructionaccomplishing the above purposes more particularly relating to themember for engaging and gripping the fabric of the sock. The presentcase is based on the same general construction, but relates particularlyto the features of the clasp, which, as above indicated, is not onlyapplicable to the use shown, but to other uses of varied character.

H An important characteristic of all clasps, and particularly garterclasps, is that they should be easily hooked or fastened in place, butshould be firm and permanent in their attachment so as not to becomeaccidentally loosened. It is also desirable that the clasp have amaximum amount of flexibility in all directions. In a garter such as isworn by men there are three independent straps which branch out from oneanother in different directions, and each of these should be freelyswiveled or flexible with respect to the other two. The presentinvention secures these results and consists in the features ofconstruction and combination hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure l is a fragmentary view showing the clasp of amans garter embodying the principles of my invention with the usualbands extending there from in substantially the directions they assumein use; Fig. 2 is a view of the clasp in disengaged relation; thisfigure shows the way in which the parts are positioned with respect toone another when they are about to be clasped or fastened; and Fig.3 isa sectional view of the clasp looking'edgewise at the same.

The principle which I have noted in connection with mcns garters, and ofwhich I avail myself in the construction, depends upon the fact that thesupporting strap or band which encircles the leg of the wearer in use isdeflected quite sharply downward into a V-shape at the point where thetension of the stocking is applied. This is the normal condition in use,but when the garter is initially positioned and clasped it is mostreadily applied in a direct and horizontal line or plane around the legrather than in the deflected manner which it afterwards assumes in use.The garter constructed in accordance with my invention is adapted to befreely clasped in the above mentioned horizontal relation, but becomestightly locked against disengagement when the strain of the stockingdeflects the band downward.

Referring to the drawings in which like parts are designated by the samereference sign, 1 denotes the usual elastic band which encircles thecalf of the leg in a garter, and 2 denotes the gripping device whichdepends into a position to be secured to the sock or stocking which hasto be held.

3 denotes the swivel clasp embodying the principles of my invention. Theclasp 3 has what I shall term the main or base plate 4, and a hook plate5. There is also a swivel plate 6, which appears particularly in Fig. 3.Each of these plates have narrow extensions or neck portions denominated4, 5 and 6 respectively, and these necks or extensions are in turnconnected to the buckles or other fastening or gripping means 4, 5 and2. The part 2 in the present case constitutes a specially formed gripperfor receiving the fabric of the stocking, but it is evident that thesedevices may be of any convenient or approved character.

The main plate 4, and the swivel plate 6, are permanently engaged to oneanother through the rivet or stud 7. This rivet or stud is reduced at 8,where it is tightly fixed to the swivel plate 6 by being peened orriveted over upon the same. At its other end the rivet has a head 9, andan enlarged portion 10, immediatelyadjacent to said head, and which alsoforms a shoulder engaging the main plate 4. The main plate 4 looselysurrounds the body of the rivet 7 between the enlargement l0 and theswivel plate 6 to which the rivet is fixed. In this way the main plateand the swivel plate are freely pivoted together, and at the same time aproj ecting head or button is formed by the head 9 of the rivet,together with the enlarged part 10. The head or button thus formedcooperates with the hook plate 5 so as to provide a detachable swivelfastening. In this action the parts not only form a detachable swivelconnection, 'but one which is locked in normal use. The construction bywhich these functions are secured is most clearly shown in Fig. 2.Referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the hook plate 5 is generallycircular in its outside contour, corresponding to the form of the mainplate 4 and the swivel plate 6. At the center there is a circu'arorifice 11, the size of which corresponds to the enlargement 10 of therivet 7. The orifice 11 is of sufficient size to fit loosely upon such'enlargement. Extending in a diagonal direction from this orifice 11 is aslot 12, the width of which also corresponds to the enlargement 10. Theslot 12, however, 105 does not extend in a direct radial line from theorifice 11, but is slightly offset therefrom toward the neck of the hookplate. The inclination of the slot 12 is also toward the neck of thehook plate.

In addition to the above features of construction 110 there is oneadditional and very important detail, which lies in the formation of aledge or shoulder 13 in the material of the neck l of the main plate 4.This ledge or shoulder is immediately adjacent to the circular part ofthe main plate. In this way the ledge or shoulder is in a position tocooperate with the hpok plate and prevents said hook plate from comingaccidentally unfastened. The slot of the hook plate is in such adiagonal direction that when the garter is in use, the slot extendsdirectly away from the ledge or shoulcler 13, so that such ledge orshoulder opposes any possible disengagement of the hook, while thegarter is in use. This relation is clearly shown in Fig. l of thedrawing.

The operation is as follows: It being desired to engage a garter havingmy clasp embodied therein. in a position to hold up the socks orstockings, the main plate 4 and the hook plate 5 are first placed withrespect to one another as shown in Fig. 2. In this way the slot 12 ismade to lie in a direction about parallel to the ledge or shoulder 13.The hook plate can then be freely passed over the rivet 7. As soon asthe rivet is received in the central orifice 11 of the hook plate, thelatter is allowed to turn until it comes into the position shown in Fig.l, which is the position of normal use. In this position the slot 12lies on the opposite side of the rivet from the ledge or shoulder 13, sothat the parts are absolutely precluded from becoming unfastened. Butalthough all the parts are absolutely secured in this way, they arecapable of free pivotal or swiveling movement with respect to oneanother. The swivel plate 6 is capable of free swinging movement withrespect to either the main plate or the hook plate, and either the mainplate or the hook plate is capable of free swiveling movement withrespect to the other and to the swivel plate. Those are the importantconditions to be satisfied in a garter clasp. In addition to thefunctions of the ledge or shoulder 13 as above outlined, there is afurther provision for holding the hook in proper clasped relation inuse. This is the arrangement by which the slot 12 is not located on aradial line from the rivets 11, but is slightly offset therefrom. Theeffect of offsetting the slot in this way is to produce a projectingshoulder 14, which cooperates with the rivet 7 when the parts areassembled, to prevent accidental dislodgment.

What I claim, is

1. In a clasp of the class described, a main plate having a ledge orshoulder, a stud extending from said plate, and a hook plate having anorifice and slot opening inward from the circumference of the hook plateto cooperate with said stud and angularly movable thereon to a positionwhere said stud is freely removable through said slot, said hook platebeing locked against disengagement by said ledge or shoulder in normaluse.

2. In a clasp of the class described, a main plate having a ledge orshoulder, a stud extending from said plate, and a hook plate having anorifice with a slot extending outwardly therefrom to the circumferenceof the hook plate and angularly movable on said stud to a position wheresaid stud is freely removable through saidslot, said hook plate having acircular contour to cooperate with said shoulder in its swivelingmovement on the stud.

3. In a clasp of the class described, a main plate having a swivel platepermanently swiveled thereto, a stud ex tending from said plate, and ahook plate having a central orifice and a slot extending outwardlytherefrom and adapt ed to be received on said stud so as to have a freepivotal movement with respect to the main plate and to the swivel plate.

4. In a clasp of the class described, a swivel plate having a rivet orstud fixed thereto, a main plate permanently assembled on said rivet andcapable of swinging movement thereon, and a hook plate having a slot anda central orifice adapted to be placed loosely over said rivet or stud.

5. In a clasp of the class described, a swivel plate having a rivet orstud fixed thereto, a main plate permanently associated on the stud andloosely surrounding said rivet, said rivet having an enlarged portionagainst which the main plate bears to prevent lateral displacement, anda hook plate having an orifice adapted to be loosely placed over saidenlarged portion of the rivet or stud.

6. In a clasp of the class described, a stud or rivet having a head, anenlarged portion and a reduced portion, a swivel plate riveted to thereduced portion, a main plate loosely surrounding the portion betweenthe enlarged and reduced portions, and a hook plate adapted to bercmovably received on the enlarged portion.

7. In a clasp of the class described, a stud or rivet having a head anenlarged portion and a reduced portion, a swivel plate riveted to thereduced portion, a main plate loosely surrounding the portion betweenthe enlarged and reduced portions, and a hook plate adapted to beremovably received on the enlarged portion, said main plate havingaledge or shoulder cooperating with the hook plate to prevent removalthereof except when said parts are moved into a predetermined relation.

8. In a clasp of the class described, a main plate having a rivet orstud projecting therefrom and having a ledge or shoulder and a hookplate having a circular contour and having a slot opening inward fromthe circumference of the hook plate and received over the rivet or studand extending away from said ledge or shoulder in normal use, said hookplate being angularly movable on said rivet to a position where saidrivet is freely removable through said slot.

9. In a clasp of the class described, a main plate having a rivet and aledge thereon, and a hook plate adapted to engage said ledge and havinga central orifice and a slot extending from its central portion, saidslot opening into the circumference of the hook plate and being offsetfrom a radial path with respect to said orifice so as to produce ashoulder or protuberance coilperating with the rivet, said hook platebeing angular-1y movable thereon to a position where said rivet isfreely removable through said slot.

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN M. SINER.

Witnesses WALTER E. R. WELLS, WM. D. Conn.

